Cyclone Fani, lessons learnt

The cyclone Fani crossed through the northwestern part of Bangladesh on Saturday. Sixteen people were killed and more than 60 were injured. Hundreds of trees were toppled, electricity lines disrupted by trees, seasonal crops affected severely and many shanties seriously damaged.

Rising temperature due to climate change and deforestation are usually considered the reasons for such cyclones.

The Global Climate Risk Index 2019 report, published at the annual climate summit in Poland's Katowice city recently, mentions Bangladesh was ranked 7th among the countries most affected by extreme weather events in 20 years since 1998. The report was prepared analysing damages caused by the extreme weather events that took place from 1998 to 2017.

According to the report, Bangladesh stood 9th among the countries most affected last year, up from 13th the previous year. In the last year, 407 people died in Bangladesh due to extreme weather related events- floods, landslides, storms and cyclones. The country also suffered an economic loss of about US$ 2,826.68 million, according to Germanwatch, a Berlin-based environmental organisation.

The annual risk index shows that South Asian countries are among the most vulnerable globally to the impacts of climate change. The report also mentions that massive rainfall led to floods across Nepal, Bangladesh and India, which affected more than 40 million people.

Many developed countries including the USA are avoiding wilfully the Kyoto Protocol 1997 for long and these countries are mostly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions across the world. The developing and underdeveloped countries beside seas are extremely vulnerable stage.

The report finally predicts that such calamities might double in the future. Therefore, we should be more alert and take actions for our own safety and survival.

Md Zillur Rahaman

Satish Sarker Road

Gandaria, Dhaka

[email protected]